Nesting Behaviour
by SilverWolf7
Summary: Second story in the Lucifer's Flock series. Dan notices little changes to his things, all courtesy of Lucifer. He doesn't get it and Lucifer is being tight lipped. He decides to find out why the devil is acting like he is by talking to the ones he is close to.
1. New Things

Read Feathered Friend first or otherwise this story will probably not make much sense. There should be a series thing on this site to make reading story series easier...

* * *

Nesting Behaviour

It started small.

In fact, it started with a pen.

Dan had no idea what it was doing mixed in with his cheap plastic biros, but there it was. A sleek, black and extremely expensive looking fountain pen. The word Morningstar was embellished on it in gold, so he knew who it had come from, but not why.

He looked around the bullpen, noting that both Chloe and Lucifer were not at his ex's desk. He shrugged, put the pen down in the holder with his own and left to go see if his pudding had been stolen that day.

He stared intently at what must be his mind playing tricks on him. There wasn't just one pudding where his lay nestled in its usual spot. There were three. Each with a name and warning not to steal. Also, the pre packaged store bought one he usually got was gone, in exchange for pudding cups you'd find in a home kitchen. He slowly grabbed his and pulled it out. He decided if he got sick after eating it that it was indeed some cruel joke played on him by the Devil, because isn't that what the Devil is supposed to do?

He closed his eyes at the first taste, because this was not only homemade but perfect.

What exactly was going on here?

He wished that Lucifer was there to answer his questions, but he wasn't. Shrugging, forgetting about the pen, he got back to work. He would just have to wait until he went home.

After he had done with filling out paperwork on the cases he was working on, he went home to spend some time with Dusty. He found the bird to have gotten attached to him very fast and hated not being talked to first thing when he got home. He was sure the parrot held a grudge for days after if he didn't say hello to him first thing. He couldn't even go to the bathroom first. He wondered if that was normal bird behaviour.

It wasn't until about a half hour before he was due to leave to go to Lucifer's that he noticed something else different. A shirt and sweatpants were found in a neatly wrapped bundle on his bed, with a note on top which simply read 'For grooming'.

That's when Dan got angry.

Picking up the clothing, he stormed out of his apartment and out to his car, keen to have a go at the Devil himself for breaking into his house while he wasn't home. Lucifer needed to learn boundaries.

When he arrived at the building, Lux still wasn't busy so he didn't waste any time going straight over to the elevator up to the penthouse apartment above the club which Lucifer called home. He had no idea how this new arrangement of theirs would all work with Lucifer also having to run a club during the nights. He guessed that would be something to work out later, because right now he just wanted to get it through the angel's thick head that it was not good to break into other people's homes.

"Lucifer! What the Hell are you doing?!" was the first thing out of his mouth when the doors opened to the apartment.

He stopped to blink after the words were out of his mouth.

"Well, most people would call it playing the piano. Why? Am I not doing it in a way you find pleasant or something?"

Rubbing his forehead, sure he'd end up with a headache sooner or later, he shook his head. "No, I meant with the clothes...and the mess."

He had never seen Lucifer's apartment look so unkempt. He was sure Lucifer was actually allergic to mess. There were things scattered everywhere.

"The clothes are for you! Picked them out myself and everything. Don't worry, Ella got the same, no special favours. As to the mess...yes, I am currently looking for the nicest sheets I can find and ended up spreading them everywhere to see. Sorry. At least it won't take long to clean up."

Blinking again, Dan shook his head. "I don't understand you at all sometimes..."

Oddly enough, the anger had disappeared. Usually that would be quite the task when dealing with Lucifer, but there was just something so...odd with the mess, it stole his thunder. So to speak.

"Uh, is Ella here?"

"In the bathroom getting changed. Should be out any second. Why the two of you are changing in a bathroom makes no sense. It's not like I'll make any unnecessary moves on either of you, even if you are naked in my living room."

It took him a few seconds to remember that he wasn't the only one that would run into communication snags sometimes. He needs to keep remembering that Lucifer wasn't human. "Humans aren't too keen on public nudity unless they really know someone, or are intimate with them, and even then sometimes it's frowned on in certain circumstances."

"Yeah, don't get it. If you have it, flaunt it, I say."

Dan rolled his eyes. "Well, you do that. I'm waiting for Ella to come out here, so I can go get changed. Why the clothes anyway?"

Lucifer blinked at him, the movement slow. "It just...seemed like the nice thing at the time. You know, matching outfits. Well, mine without the shirt, because shirts don't work too well with wings showing unless it's something that's been planned and, well, I am finding myself not remembering exactly how to plan for it..."

That pinged something in Dan's head that reminded him of everything else. "So, what's with the puddings? And the pen?"

Lucifer blinked again. "Uh, I thought your pens looked a bit cheap. And if you're going to eat pudding at least eat the good stuff. Made it myself."

Dan stared, because he couldn't really think of anything else to say. The whole argument had fled his head now in favour of getting in the bathroom to change, because he was feeling awkward now.

That's when Ella appeared dressed in the same shirt and sweatpants that he was soon to be wearing. She smiled at him.

"Hey! You're here. Great! We can do this early then. I want to get some downtime to read tonight before going to bed."

And with that, he took his clothing bundle, ran into the bathroom and closed the door behind him.

He suddenly wished he had not agreed to this at all.


	2. Old Things

Old Things

Knowing what he was doing when it came to wings now, the whole grooming session didn't last nearly as long as he thought it would.

He had hoped to get in a chat afterwards with Lucifer, but like last time his angel friend had fallen asleep and this time both he and Ella decided to leave him that way. So, instead of talking to the devil himself, he decided to ask Ella if she knew what was going on.

"So, did Lucifer give you anything odd?"

Ella laughed. "Yeah, the pudding. I generally just get something from the vending machine, not raid the fridge, but he was there earlier and told me he made me a treat. It was good too. He really knows how to cook."

Nodding, Dan gave her that one, because he remembered the taste and the texture and how both were made in just the way he liked them. Seemed it was how Ella liked them too.

"He gave me a fountain pen. I don't even know how to write with a fountain pen."

Smiling widely, she nodded. "He gave me a pen too, but he gave it to me yesterday before I left. And unlike you, I do know how to use it."

"You don't find it odd at all?"

She blinked and frowned. "Never thought that, nope. He's got friends now, people he's close to. It makes sense that he'd want to give us things. He's never had anyone to do that with before. Well, except maybe his therapist and _that_ would be weird."

That brought him up short. "Wait...do you think his therapist actually knows?"

Ella shrugged at him. "Either that or thinks he's massively delusional. I mean I thought he was just an eccentric method actor, but no, he really is who he says he is, because he makes it a point of honour to never lie. I'm beginning to think outside of jokes, he literally can't tell a lie, because the only things he says that are untrue are jokes. You notice that?"

Nodding, he sighed. "Yeah, yeah. But I mean, do you think she would notice if he begins to act differently. To me this is different. I mean we've been kind of friends for a while even though he drives me crazy, but he's never been the gift giving kind of friend. He's the kind that generally steals your snacks, not makes them for you."

"Only one way to find out, dude. Ask her yourself. It's likely if she knows about him, she knows about the two of us now knowing. He goes to her every time something changes in his life. He's probably the only person I know of whose actually proud of having a therapist, instead of getting therapy for his actual problems."

Dan rolled his eyes. "Lucifer has plenty of both for this therapist of his to work through. She sure must be getting her money's worth with him. I met her once, I think, on a case with Chloe. She is the go to for the department now."

"Oh yeah! Linda's one of my tribe. Not my therapist, because she's a close friend, you know. But, yeah, she's good."

"What are you two talking about?" came a mumbled question from Lucifer, who raised his head from his arms where he had been resting on the deck chair they used for grooming. "Did I hear Doctor Linda's name pop up?"

Dan closed his eyes and sighed loudly. "We were wondering if she knew who you really were."

"Oh! Yes, of course she does. At one point she got so fed up of trying to figure out if what I said was true or a metaphor she refused to help me unless I told her who I really was. Shook her up real bad when she found out I wasn't using metaphors and then spent about a week asking endless questions about Hell..."

Ella winced. "Ouch. Harsh."

Lucifer grinned. "Yes, quite. Still, she got over it. Still asks the occasional question about Heaven or Hell. But usually it's nothing about them unless it's...you know, about them."

Ella nodded in understanding, while Dan blinked. He had gone an alternate way of dealing with his problems with the improv group he was with. "Am I the only one here not in therapy?"

"Yep." Lucifer and Ella replied at the same time.

Sighing he shook his head. "Well, I have a bird that's probably going to try breaking his cage if I don't put him to bed soon. So, I will see you tomorrow."

"Night," came the unison reply yet again and he wondered if one was channelling the other.

As it was that fled his mind when he got home.

He found out the reason why Lucifer had been so intent on looking for soft, comfortable sheets. He hadn't realised it when he was home before, because he hadn't tried going to bed.

It was made with clean but slightly worn white sheets of Egyptian cotton.

He really needed to talk to Lucifer about invading other people's places.

He'd add in a chat about privacy too while he was at it.


	3. Chloe and Linda

Chloe and Linda

Chloe had a lot of paperwork to do the next day at work, so, naturally, Lucifer didn't bother coming in. He always made sure to be scarce at the sight of a load of paperwork unless it was something to do with Lux.

So, since he knew he wouldn't be interrupted by chatter he had no interest in or constant flirting, he decided he might as well bite the bullet and ask Chloe how her absent partner had been acting lately around her.

"Hey Chloe. Mind if I talk to your for a bit, while you work?"

She looked up at him and smiled. "And miss out on all this fun paperwork with no distractions whatsoever. Sure, shoot. What do you want to talk about?"

"Has Lucifer been acting weird towards you lately? I mean, weirder than usual?"

She frowned, while writing in some notes on a hard copy file. "Well, he was scratching his back against everything the other day. Kept on complaining about it being wings or feathers or something like that. But it's not the first time he's gone on about wings, so nothing really new. Why?"

Dan shook his head. "He keeps on doing small weird things with me and Ella. Did you know he gave us a matching fountain pen? And has started making me pudding because he decided it would be better than store bought? Also, he changed the sheets on my bed to the softest damn things you have ever felt. Seriously, they're amazing and so expensive. And his."

Chloe smirked up at him. "Maybe he's decided he wants to flirt and sleep with you as well."

He shook his head. "He's already stated he's not interested in either me or Ella sexually. And I believe him. It's just...weird of him to act like this to people, that's all. Especially me. I'm not used to odd gifts."

"Well, it sounds like he's just trying to be friendly then. He's got a weird way of showing affection. I don't think his childhood had much love in it, and sometimes he doesn't know how to act." She shrugged. "It happens. Why not ask him?"

Sighing, Dan shook his head. "I already did. All he said was that it was things he thought I'd like or need. Or would look good. I don't know. He was being cagey about it."

Chloe smiled. "Well, it seems to me that he's decided to take you in as a friend. Just accept it and ignore the more stupid things he does. Works for me."

Nodding his head, Dan decided that was some pretty good advice, if it wasn't or the sheets. The sheets were a step too far, no matter how comfortable they happened to be. "Okay, Thanks Chloe. I'll see you for dinner on Tuesday?"

"Sure! Trixie's looking forward to tacos."

Dan nodded, grinning at the thought that thankfully he and Chloe managed to not fall into complete disrepair and that taco Tuesday was still a thing, if more so for Trixie now than to try and work on their now well and truly over marriage.

"Well, good talk. See you tomorrow if I don't come over for a chat again later."

He left her to the paperwork and went back to his own desk, for the moment not busy at all. And it was then he decided that maybe he would do what any other person would do when wanting to discuss the Devil. Go to the one other person outside their little grooming party that knew the truth.

He searched through his rolodex for the number for the station's therapists on call for cases and looked up the number for one Doctor Linda Martin. Just this once, he would be willing to speak to a therapist about what was bothering him. Mainly because this psychiatrist would more than likely be the only one to know the types of problems he could be facing.

Too few people knew about the divine on Earth.

Lucky for him, Linda decided to set an appointment for him that afternoon at 5pm.

Lucifer would have to wait, but hey, this was important to him.

He was soon called over to do menial tasks for one of the other detectives and was busy for the rest of the day.

* * *

"Detective, please come in," Doctor Martin stated, after her last patient she was supposed to have for the day left. She waved him into her office.

It was the first time he had seen in there. It was nothing like he imagined. A big room with plenty of space, water, even a bowl full of gummy treats for the clients. He had been expecting small, cramped and way too personal. This place actually looked inviting.

"So, detective, what can I help you with?"

He sighed and didn't know whether he should stay on his feet or sit down on the sofa. "Advice would be good."

"Oh? Advice on what?"

"Dealing with Lucifer's...unique personality."

The doctor frowned at him. "I won't tell you anything that goes on during his sessions, detective."

He shook his head. "No, I know that. Confidentiality and all. No, I mean in general. I mean, I know you know who he is. He told me and Ella yesterday after we'd finished with his wings, you know? But..."

Linda held up a hand. "Whoa wait. He told you?"

Dan nodded. "The wings were a bit of a giveaway."

"Huh. I haven't spoken to him since he got them again. It's only been a few days. He isn't due for a session until next week."

Dan snorted at that. "Why do I doubt he sticks to scheduled sessions and just shows up whenever?"

Linda closed her eyes and sighed. "Yes, he does that too. But we do have a weekly schedule he does stick to. He's only ever skipped one session, and that was for personal reasons I am not going into with you. He even cancelled it the proper way and everything."

Smiling, knowing how much of a pain it could be to get Lucifer to do anything the proper way, he nodded at Linda. "I hear that. But anyway, lately has he been different? Because he's been acting different towards me. I asked Chloe, but he hasn't changed his behaviour around her or anything. Ella doesn't think it weird, but it's kind of creeping me out a bit..."

Linda leaned forwards in her chair. "Oh? What are these things he's doing that are new?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. I thought at first it was just little things. He left a pen on my desk and made some pudding for me and Ella. That was weird enough, really, but then I went home to find he had broken in and left me clothes he's dubbed grooming wear. He gave a matching outfit to Ella and wears the sweats himself. And then when I got home, I found out he had given me some of his old sheets. I mean the really good kind. Egyptian cotton, really fine thread. It's like being on a cloud."

Linda nodded and listened to what he was saying the entire time, which was nice. Sometimes he felt like his words were ignored by whom he was talking to, especially if it happened to be Lucifer.

"Okay, so the gifting is the new thing that is creeping you out. That's to be expected, he did break into your house. Lucifer has trouble understanding barriers. He doesn't like locks. You'll notice his home doesn't have any doors inside, open and inviting to all, except for the bathroom. And even that doesn't have a lock on it."

Nodding, Dan leaned forwards. "Yeah, I noticed that last night, when I was getting changed. It's like he doesn't believe in privacy."

"Oh, he believes in privacy. It's just what he deems private is different to most people. Lucifer isn't at all shy of showing off what he has, and since no one would be stupid enough to steal from him, he feels secure in not needing the locks."

Rolling his eyes, Dan sighed out loud. "Yeah, I get that. I just don't get why that means he can't understand that humans aren't for the most part that sharing. I mean, he asked me last night why I was wasting time by wanting to go get dressed in the bathroom away from him, like Ella did. It went right over his head."

"You have to remember that he's used to walking and going wherever he wants. Doors locked for others were always open to him. I have taught him to not enter if the light is on. He understands that sessions here are private. For others as well as himself. And yet it took a few goes before he realised that. If it bothers you so much, tell him. He may go up to knocking if you are home, but understand that nothing is going to keep him out once he's in."

"So basically your advice for him breaking into my home is put up with it?"

"Basically, yes. Tell him off if you happen to be home at the time or if he does go in without knocking first. But don't ever expect him to not just walk in. It's a habit of millennia. You're not going to break it. The only reason I did is because I have a light to flash and only then, it is on during sessions only. Putting one on your front door won't work."

Throwing his hands in the air, he got up off the sofa and started pacing. "Great! So, what, do I smack him with a rolled up newspaper or something?"

Linda cocked her head to one side. "Well, you could try that if you want."

He grinned. "Oh, good. I will. So, ignore when he's in my apartment then as long as he learns to knock first. Got it. What about the other things, the gifts?"

Shaking her head, Linda frowned. "I actually don't know. He isn't one to just gift people things. I didn't think he even got the point of gifts, unless they were to him and not from him. And that you and Ella are getting the same things. It's likely some sort of behaviour from either Heaven or Hell. You want my advice on that, go speak with Maze and Amenadiel. One of them would know more about it then I do."

And that seemed like some actual good planning to follow through on. At least it isn't ignoring bad behaviour. "That sounds like solid advice. Thanks! Uh, do you know how I can contact Amenadiel? I've only met him once, and most of that time he was drunk. I never got his number."

Linda got out a piece of paper, a pen and wrote a number down. "Here. I suggest talking to him after talking to Maze. I think this might be some angelic thing based around grooming, but Amenadiel might be a bit...unhappy talking about heavenly things. He's in a bit of a crisis himself right now, but at least he's more aware of it then Lucifer."

Nodding, but not understanding the problem, he walked to the door.

"Right. Thanks, doctor. It helps to know someone else out there knows how crazy things can get around Lucifer when you actually know this stuff about him."

Linda nodded. "Yes, it is. And there's Ella to chat to as well. Maybe we should start a club."

He laughed. "Yeah, the 'Learning of Lucifer' club. Open for admissions to those who only know the devil as the angel he is."

Laughing, Linda nodded at him, before getting up herself. "Well, it was nice to officially meet you Dan. Now, I do believe you should go so I can. I have a date with a bartender."

Grinning, he nodded. "Have fun. I've got to go to Lucifer's. I'm going to be late now."

They said their goodbyes to each other and he left the building to go to Lux. It's a good thing he had left the so called grooming clothes at the penthouse.

Maybe if the two other non humans in his life gave good advice, he'd get more used to this whole thing sooner rather than later.


	4. A Little Hell, A Little Heaven

A Little Hell, A Little Heaven

Mazikeen turned out to not be that hard to find. She always loitered around his desk after she had finished a job and was waiting for her cheque. He had no idea why him, except she had fun setting the Russian mob on that bastard who killed Chloe's dad.

He had helped her with that. At least she knew what being discreet was if she felt like it and no one else had learnt about that hit he had kind of set up.

He could do without her playing with a knife in the middle of a police precinct, but small steps. She was a demon after all. From hell. And had been with Lucifer longer than anyone else.

"Hey, Maze, I wanted to talk to you about Lucifer. In private."

Her head raised to look at him and she smiled sharply at him. "Thinking of hopping between his sheets?"

Rolling his eyes, he folded his arms. "Been there, done that. Lucifer, private, now."

Rolling her eyes, Mazikeen hopped off the corner of the desk she was sitting on and followed him to a vacant room. He sat down in one of the chairs, because he really didn't want to ask these things while standing. At least this way he could put his head on the desk if he felt the need.

"Lucifer know you want to talk about him?" she asked, sitting in the seat across from him, dagger still in hand.

"I don't know. He'll find out soon enough anyway, since I plan on telling him when I figure this out."

Raising an eyebrow and leaning forwards, her leather top not hiding anything to the imagination at all, she grinned. "So, what is this about?"

Sighing, he shook his head. "Did he ever do weird things with you when you were in Hell?"

The other eyebrow joined the first. "He actually told you?"

"Showed me, more like. Me and Ella. He needed help with his wings."

"He got his wings back like a week ago. Why ask for help with them now? He usually just puts up with them."

"Feathers coming through. He wanted to be able to fly this time around, so he found me and Ella to groom them."

Nodding her head in understanding, she relaxed back into her chair. "So?"

He frowned, not knowing where she was going with that. "So...what?"

"Why'd you want to know? I mean, sure, we did a lot of kinky things. Tortured souls together. We've had sex in every way imaginable between a male and female. So, what you want to know? What position is his favourite with a man?"

He closed his eyes. "This isn't about sex. I mean, did he ever get in weird moods where he'd suddenly give you gifts."

She laughed at that. "Gifts? Hell no. He receives, very rarely gives. Why?"

"The past two days, he's made me food I didn't ask for, because he didn't like what I was eating store bought. He gave me a fountain pen embellished with his name and I can't even write with one. And he broke into my apartment to give me clothes and sheets."

Maze frowned and blinked at him. "You sure this isn't a sex thing? It sounds like a sex thing."

"He's already stated he's not interested in sex with those who groom him. Says it would feel too much like incest."

She nodded at that, throwing a hand over the back of her seat. "Yeah, he has a thing for family. He does not like to think of them sexually."

Dan stared at her. "Yeah, most humans feel the same way. It is something we do our best to avoid. The thought makes me shudder..."

She hummed at him. "Don't get it. Still sounds like a sex thing."

"It isn't. Ask him yourself..."

Maze nodded and went to get up. And he waved his hands. "Oh, come on. He never did anything like that for you?"

"We've shared a bed, which is sharing sheets. I've worn his clothes. He's worn mine. Pens can make good stabbing utensils in a pinch, so he's given me pens before and he likes to cook."

And none of that was helpful at all. "Seriously, you know nothing of what's going on then?"

"Nope. Don't know, and since it isn't going to be dangerous don't really care."

He slammed his head onto the desk, let out a loud "ow!" afterwards and then waved her out of the room.

That...was a waste of time.

He could hear Maze laughing her head off at his desk where she had slinked back to while waiting for her pay.

He hoped his talk with Amenadiel went better than that.

* * *

"He's what?!" Amenadiel shouted loudly at him when he got around to calling him on the phone.

"All that stuff man. Come on, you know what's up with that? Why's he doing this?"

Amenadiel was silent on the other end of the line. Maybe calling him from the precinct wasn't a good idea, but Lucifer had been bouncing off the walls at him being late yesterday and so he didn't want to be late ever again.

"He got his wings back and didn't tell me? I am going to punch the grin right off his face..."

Dan blinked at that. "Whoa, settle down. No need for violence. Do you or do you not know why he's doing these things?"

"Of course I know! And none of it would have happened if he didn't get his wings back..."

"So, it's normal grooming behaviour?"

"You're _grooming_ him?! Luci, I am going to murder you in your sleep!"

"Amenadiel, you do know he can't hear you right now. He's not even here as far as I know, let alone right at my side."

"I don't care. I sent it in prayer just then. "

Dan closed his eyes. "I'm sure he'll get right back to you with that...or not. Come on, man. Can you tell me if it's normal or not, at least."

He heard a loud sigh. "Yes, it's normal. He's nesting."

He blinked. "He's...what?"

"Nesting. You're one of his, so he's making you aware of it. Gifts to lie around, clothing to match, favourite foods. Hell, even your sheets. He's claimed you as his. And Ella too by the sounds of it. He'll never leave Lux, but he wants the closeness, so his things are ending up muddled with yours. Think of it as his version of moving in without him actually being there."

And...that made sense when he thought about it. "Oh. Okay, that's weird but kind of not at the same time. Should I expect my things to start appearing in his apartment?"

"Only if you bring them and leave them there on purpose. He's against stealing."

"So...should I?"

"Depends on if you don't mind high maintenance flock members. And Luci is definitely high maintenance."

"Wait...flock?"

There was silence for a few seconds, before a very loud expelling of breath. "He hasn't explained any of this to you? Wait, of course not. He's probably not even aware of it. Angels form small groups, mainly of those they are closest to and make closer relationships with them. They're considered flock when this is done. The smallest is of two members, but most are three or higher."

"And he's doing that with me and Ella. So, we're three then."

"So it would seem. He may try pulling the others he is close to in now. It will probably do him some good. He's been without for a very long time. He's probably not happy with himself right now though. So long he's been independent. To suddenly be nesting and building a flock...he's probably scared."

Rolling his eyes at the ridiculous emotional problems he was sure he just got landed with, Dan sighed. "Yeah, probably would do him some good. So, what kind of things"

"I don't know. Small things. Trinkets, books, CD's. Things humans like and scatter about their homes. Luci likes books. You might want to check what he has first though. Don't give him things he already has. Maybe keep the grooming clothes he picked out at his place. Maybe find where he is nesting in his own apartment and add things in. It won't be in his bedroom, that's for sleep and sex. It will be somewhere else."

And that sounded like an idea to go ahead with. Apart from what he has seen of the apartment when he entered, the balcony where they groom and a peek into his bedroom, Dan had not explored Lucifer's home. Maybe he should.

"I'll have a look at his library then, and maybe check his place out. See if I have anything that would fit in with his high tastes."

"Doesn't matter what his tastes are. Just add things. Accept it and him and he'll calm down."

He let out a sigh. 'Alright. Thanks for the advice Amenadiel. This has been bugging me and I was the only one noticing."

"Yeah, no problem. Next time tell my brother to mention the big events happening in his life so I am not taken unaware by phone calls."

Dan smiled at that. "Yeah, I'll talk to him tonight. Bye."

'Goodbye, Dan."

The phone was cut off before he could get at away from his ear. Beeps greeted him before he hung up on his end.

Well, at least now he had a solid plan and knew what was going on.

He didn't know it would feel relieving to know such weird news.

He suddenly wondered what Dusty would think of all of this if the bird could speak. So far, nada on that front.

Which one of his winged friends would come first?


	5. Lucifer's Nest

Lucifer's Nest

He had no idea what to expect that evening when he arrived at Lux, but a closed club was not one of them. It was the middle of the week though and things just weren't as popular on Wednesdays. Still, an empty bar is creepy, so Dan moved himself as fast as he could to the elevator up to Lucifer's home.

It must be his imagination, but it felt like it was taking forever to get up there. He suddenly had the feeling something bad was going to happen or already had.

Shuffling from foot to foot, he almost sighed in relief when the elevator doors opened and let him into the lit up apartment. He was not expecting the first thing he saw to be Ella standing by the piano.

"Oh! Hey. Lucifer's sulking in the bathroom and refuses to come out. Something about Amenadiel finding out or something...?"

Sighing, Dan closed his eyes and shook his head. "That's my fault. I'll go drag his ass out."

The first thing he noticed as he walked closer was that the shower was on. The second was the door was closed. Since he knew for a fact Lucifer didn't bother closing the door unless he truly had to, it was odd. He knocked and received no answer.

"Lucifer? You done sulking yet?"

He got no reply from his words either, so taking a leaf out of Lucifer's book he grabbed the handle, opened the door and hoped the angel was wearing pants.

He was. He also looked very small sitting down in a corner of his rather large shower stall. He wasn't wearing a shirt, which was normal for their evenings now, but his wings were out of sight. He noted the scars on his back were practically gone when Lucifer turned himself around to glare at the wall instead of him.

"Come on, man. What are you even doing?"

"Showering. Go away."

Stepping closer, he reached in and turned off the taps. Lucifer sighed loudly, before laying his head against the wall.

"Come on, Lucifer. Time to come outside."

"No. Time to not."

Dan blinked at that, because until this afternoon, Lucifer had been very open and wanting to be groomed. Maybe Amenadiel had been right about how Lucifer would act.

High maintenance indeed.

"Look, I don't care that you are forming connections, okay? It's normal to want that."

Lucifer stood up, grabbed a towel and dried off his hair and chest. "It's not normal for me to want this, Daniel. I don't need it. I don't..."

He held up a hand to stop Lucifer from saying the next words, thinking he already knew what they would be. "Amenadiel said you'd be upset and scared. I didn't think you'd try hiding in the shower over it."

That got a reaction. He was pretty sure if the wings were showing, his feathers would be bristling out in anger. "I am not scared. I'm the devil, I don't do scared!"

Dan held up his hands and fought the grin that wanted to appear on his face. Lucifer was acting like Trixie when she chucked a temper tantrum. "Okay, fine then. You won't have any problem showing me then, will you?"

Lucifer frowned and blinked at him, confusion in his eyes. "Show you what?"

"Your nest, man. Amenadiel said you'd probably have one around here somewhere. So, will you show me, or do I have to go looking for it myself?"

Lucifer shook his head. "No! That's...that's private."

Folding his arms across his chest, Dan glared at his friend. "Yeah? Well, my whole apartment is private to me. It doesn't stop you from going in and out whenever you want. Fairs fair. You don't want me in your nest, you stay the hell out of my apartment."

A look of constipated indecision showed on the angel's face, as Lucifer shifted from foot to foot. "But..."

Dan raised an eyebrow. "But...?"

Shoulders curled up a bit in defeat. "Oh, fine. But no...no teasing me about it. It isn't completed yet. And it really isn't much to look at. And it's not ready for...for anyone to be in it. Not comfortably yet anyway and..."

Dan let him trail off, knowing he had won this round. He stepped out of the bathroom, leaving the door opened and waited for Lucifer to follow him out.

Turns out the nest was in what used to be Lucifer's study. The desk was turned upside down so the legs were pointing straight up, pillows were scattered everywhere and the sheets that had been strewn all over the living room floor were now in a heaped piled on top of the desk. It was a complete mess, but he didn't get the embarrassment.

"Okay, I get it isn't finished yet, but why would you think I'd tease you about it? And why is the desk upside down?"

"I'm nesting, Dan, not building a pillow fort."

That didn't answer any of his questions, but he let it go, because he was beginning to think it was one of those questions that couldn't be explained right. Like what is it like to be normal?

"Okay. So, what's missing then? Why did you stop?"

Rubbing his face, Lucifer shrugged. "I realised what I was doing and..."

"You totally freaked out, dude! Aww, don't worry. Me and Dan have your back. Want any help with it?" came the voice of Ella, who had obviously heard the conversation that had taken place and decided to just let them talk it out rather than join in.

He turned to watch as the woman poked her head in and let out a whistle. "You getting rid of the table legs, or are you going to keep them?"

Lucifer sighed. "I don't know? Haven't made up my mind yet. Guess I'll find out whatever feels right when everything else is done.

Ella nodded at that. "I'll bring over some spare pillows. Save you from having to buy too many."

Lucifer perked up at that idea, and Amenadiel's advice about gifting things came back into his head. Maybe things he did already have but needed more of would be acceptable too. Pillows are a lot different to books, after all.

"Yeah I have a few pillows that could go in there, too. Doubt you'd want my sheets though. They're not as nice as yours."

"You'd both give me pillows?" Lucifer asked, his voice holding what sounded suspiciously like hope in it.

"Sure," both he and Ella answered, before they looked at each other.

And just like that the tension, the temper tantrum, the fear, all the negative emotion that had been hanging over Lucifer since he had shown up that afternoon disappeared and the devil was once again back to his smiling old self.

"That...that sounds really good. Tomorrow though. Come on, time for some of this bloody wax to come off. It's really thick this time around and taking forever to shift. When it's softer, it's going to make a huge mess too..."

And they were back to the grooming. Lucifer's wings were out before they got outside. The feathers seemed more pronounced today, more like what a feather is supposed to look like. Dan could tell that Lucifer had been spending part of the day picking at the waxy layer of what was left of the quills on his feathers he could comfortably reach. They were all white now and ready to come off.

The feathers were so stark white they almost seemed to shine. Maybe they were. As it was, Ella took to his right side, while Dan went to his left. The oil helped to loosen and soften the wax a bit but it still did not want to come off easily.

It wasn't until he was half done with preening the feathers on the wing he was assigned that he realised that this had somehow become his normal in the past three days. He was hands on touching an angel's wing and it was normal.

He was going to share pillows for a nest.

Things were decidedly weird in his new version of what normal was, but he decided then and there that he didn't really mind.


End file.
